Nightmares
by XxLadyStrengthxX
Summary: After waking up from a nightmare, Daphne talks to Shaggy about the night that scars every single member of the gang. But will a little bit of pudding and friendship convince Daphne to get the help she needs, or will she forever be haunted in her sleep?


**A/N (6:37pm): I'm bored; here's some Daphne/Shaggy friendship(:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Scooby and the gang. All rights belong to Hanna Barbera and those who have affiliated. **

* * *

She woke with a start, bolting upward into the darkness. Sweat beads bordered her face as she trembled, still not completely convinced that she was in reality and not in the terrible world of a nightmare. Still careful of her surroundings, she glanced at the digital clock on her bedside table. It read 3:34 AM, making her sigh in frustration.

She hadn't gotten _one_ good-night's sleep in months. That was the result of the horrible images that would overtake her in the night. There was sudden movement next to her, causing her to flinch in response. Finally, realization hit her, and she relaxed. The body was Fred, but she hadn't remembered him coming into her room...

She noticed her throat was unusually dry, for that was rare. However, she could still feel her face tearstained - that was very common. Then she decided that maybe walking around and waking up would do her some good. Slipping out of bed, slowly not to wake the young man beside her, she made her way to the kitchen.

As she came closer, there was a noise, bringing her small frame to a halt. Her breathing quickened in fear, for that was what she always felt now, and her entire body stiffened. As she stood still, the noise continued and then a loud CLANG came from the same direction.

She held her position, not wanting to make her appearance obvious to the figure in the other room.

"Like, ouch!" a scratchy and tired voice yelled out in pain. Running water was soon heard afterwards.

The familiar sound of her friend allowed her body to let loose, and then continue on into the kitchen. When there, she called out in a whisper, "Shaggy, are you alright?"

The beatnik turned his head quickly toward the doorway. "Like, Daphne, what are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same question... What happened in here?" Daphne asked incredulously, taking in the scene around her.

"Well, like, it's actually a funny story," Shaggy replied hesitantly, as in embarrassment.

"I don't think it's funny when you're holding your arm under the sink to wash away blood!" the redhead shrieked when she finally looked at her friend's state.

"Fine... I was trying to get the cereal down from the top shelf in the pantry, and like, my hand accidently hit the Scooby Snack jar we keep up high from Scooby..." Shaggy tried to explain.

"How did you get cut then?" Daphne questioned while inspecting the large gash for herself.

"It fell sideways and shattered. Then one of the broken pieces slashed my arm as it came over the edge..."

Daphne's eyes squinted as she continued to look at his injury. "You need this wrapped before it gets infected. Sit down," she instructed.

Shaggy, now holding a rag Daphne gave him to apply pressure, reluctantly sat down at the kitchen table. Daphne went over to the first aid kit that the gang kept for incidents such as this. She grabbed some gauze and _Neosporin_ before making her way back to her friend. "Alright, this may sting a little," Daphne warned as she took the rag from Shaggy's hands and set it aside.

Shaggy winced as the redhead applied the _Neosporin_ to his cut. "Like, yeah, it does!"

"Sorry," she apologized. Daphne then took the gauze and began wrapping it tightly around Shaggy's forearm.

He cried out and pulled his arm out of Daphne's reach. "Don't do that!"

"I have to!" Daphne argued while reaching over and forcing Shaggy's arm back to place in front of her. "Now, hold still! I'm not a nurse and there's only so much I can do..."

The beatnik grumbled and continued to wince as Daphne finished playing doctor. "Done?"

She nodded once in confirmation. "Done."

"Like, thanks, Daph," Shaggy said in a whisper.

"No problem," she replied just as quietly. Daphne returned the _Neosporin _and gauze to their rightful cabinet. She opened the drawer below her and grabbed a spoon before walking over the fridge. She took out the giant bowl of chocolate pudding and carried it over to the table.

"Like, that's my pudding," Shaggy protested, attempting to grasp the bowl.

Daphne pulled it away just as fast. "And?"

Shaggy sighed as he fell back against his chair in defeat. They fell into silence for what seemed like an eternity. It was Shaggy that finally broke the ice with, "How are you feeling, Daphne?"

The redhead looked up for the pudding she was devouring and shrugged. "Dunno."

"Like, Daphne, you need to talk to _someone_. We know we can't get you to see a therapist; you'll flip out again!" Shaggy exclaimed with a slight chuckle. He could swear that Daphne's lips twitched into a small smile, but it disappeared before it had time to settle. "We're worried about you..."

"I'm fine."

Shaggy shook his head. "Daphne, Fred is seriously thinking about moving into your room for good. Like, he has to go in there _every_ night to get you to stop screaming."

_So, that's why he was in my bed..._ Daphne thought, but didn't speak.

"Like, it happened a few hours ago, again... When Fred and I went in there, he just shook you by your shoulders and said your name a few times, then you got quiet. You never even woke up, man," Shaggy informed his friend. "He stayed just in case..."

"W-where was Velma?" Daphne finally spoke in interest.

Shaggy's eyes fell to his wrapped arm. "She, uh like, ran straight to her room. I went to check on her, but she wouldn't talk to me..."

"I'm sorry, Shaggy," she said, but didn't know what she was sorry for.

"For what?"

Daphne huffed. "I don't know; I just feel that everyone's always too worried about me to move on with their lives." Her voice had become shaky in the middle of the sentence. She didn't want to cry; that happened way too much for her own liking. "Velma moved on, and she was the most traumatized... She _was_ the one who was nearly killed; it would've been my fault, too. "

"Like, she hasn't moved on, Daphne. She still has her fair share of nightmares, too. But she _did_ talk to a professional..." Shaggy told her, trying to hint his suggestion. "And don't even say that it was your fault."

Daphne sighed and took another bite of the pudding. "I just don't understand why it happened to her and not one of us..."

"Like, because that creep was stalking her, but it obviously has affected you just as much, Daphne."

"I hate going to sleep at night, or at all! I know what's coming when I close my eyes - the picture and events never change. _Never_," Daphne emphasized. "And it's exactly what happened in the real world, so I have to keep remembering it over and over!"

"We all remember it, man," Shaggy reminded her.

"But you can easily push the thought away!" the redhead cried. "Mine's in a dream! The only way I can escape is by waking up, and sometimes I fear that that will never happen!"

"Why is it that sometimes that you, like, scream and then you don't?" Shaggy wondered.

"Depends on how early I'm woken up... You know what happened; the further into the dream, the worse," Daphne explained, staring hard into the chocolate below her.

Shaggy nodded grimly as the thoughts of that horrible night flowed back into his mind.

* * *

_"Hello? Where are you guys?" Velma's voice filled the cool night air. The forest had been dark and spooky, as they all did during a mystery. _

_The rest of the gang was watching through the trees, wanting so badly to call out the name of their close friend. However, they were bound with ropes and gags while being held onto by 'henchmen'. _

_The leader of this whole killing spree, who was still unknown to the gang (Remember, Velma always figured out the mystery first, and they were separated from her.), slowly approached Daphne. He took out knife and held it against her neck, causing the redhead to whimper against the rags in her mouth. _

_The hooded figure bent down to her ear and whispered, "Call out to her, but don't try anything else or you'll be dead. Got it?" Daphne nodded, so the man who was holding her back took out the rag._

_She coughed a few times, taking in the clean air. The leader kept his knife in place at the base of her neck. "Now."_

_Daphne swallowed and sent quick glances at Fred and Shaggy, and then croaked out, "Velma."_

_"Louder!" the masked leader ordered, putting more pressure on the blade. _

_Daphne whimpered again as more tears formed. "Velma!" was all she yelled, despite how much she wanted to tell the brunette to run._

_"Daphne?" Velma called back in response. "Where are you?"_

_"Tell her you're in the forest and that you need help," the leader whispered to Daphne._

_The older girl followed her orders. "I'm in the forest. I-I need help!"_

_"Daphne, what's wrong?" Velma yelled back in concern. "I need to follow your voice to find you!"_

_"Just keep talking..." was Daphne's next command, but after that, the leader left her side - taking the knife with him._

_"I-I fell and I think I did something to my ankle! I can't get up..." Daphne lied._

_She heard Velma laugh and it tore her heart in two. "Danger Prone Daphne is at it again, huh?"_

_Daphne didn't reply as she watched the masked leader eye Velma from a few feet ahead. She then realized that there was no knife at her neck and she could tell Velma to get away!_

_"VELMA! RUN!" she warned, but it was too late._

_The masked leader had jumped from the bushes and advanced on the smaller girl, aiming the knife straight for her stomach. Hearing Daphne's warning, Velma had dodged slightly, causing the knife only to snag her leg. She screamed out in pain from the impact of the blade and fell to the ground._

_The leader towered over the brunette and almost took his opportunity. However, a loud snarl from the bushes prevented him and Scooby Doo pounced on the leader, attacking him so angrily. It was a new side of the Great Dane, but the gang was grateful for it. _

_Soon, the leader's body lay lifeless at the feet of the loyal dog. Scooby turned his head and bared his sharp teeth at the unarmed henchmen. They ran from the barks that then erupted from the famous canine, leaving Mystery Inc. to run towards Velma, who was currently taking off the dead leader's mask._

_The gang gasped at who they saw, but Velma slightly smiled. "Just as I suspected: Gibby Norton."_

_Soon, Velma was carried by Fred and Shaggy to the nearest gas station, where the police and an ambulance were called. _

* * *

"Thank goodness for Scooby Doo," Daphne said, as if reading Shaggy's mind.

"Like, right on, man," Shaggy agreed.

"And thank you, Shaggy..." Daphne added while fiddling with her hands.

"What for?" the beatnik asked, confused.

"For bringing me to my senses. I'm going to call Velma's therapist tomorrow. I want to forget as much as I can," the redhead answered.

"Like, you're welcome... I think," Shaggy chuckled and Daphne surprised him by giggling too.

"Well," she began while standing up from the table. "I'm going to attempt sleep..."

"Alright; goodnight, Daphne," Shaggy told her. "Sweet dreams."

Daphne smiled and held up a finger wrapped over another. "Fingers crossed." She then pushed the bowl of pudding toward her friend. "Here, you can put this away. Goodnight!" And with that, she was out of the kitchen before Shaggy could protest.

Shaggy rolled his eyes at the older of the girls and proceeded to place the pudding back into the refrigerator. He then headed back to his own room to catch some Z's as well.

The petite redhead crawled back into her full size bed, pulling the purple comforter over her head completely. She felt protective arms envelope her from behind and she relaxed into Fred's knowing embrace.

Daphne Blake was convinced; after getting the helped she needed and now _wanted_, the nightmares would soon dissolve into nothing but faded memories.

* * *

**A/N (8:23pm): Well, I kinda started feeling really sick while writing this, so I took like a 20 minute break, haha! :P Anyways, I wasn't originally going to write the flashback, but it was the best way to describe what happened... **

**Hope you enjoyed it! Please review! Fulfill your New Year's resolution by doing so! ;)**

**Happy New Year! :D**

**Thanks!**

**XxLadyStrengthxX**


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